Alden s



A. s. STEVENS.

Fruit Gatherer.

- Patented June 2, 1868.

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ALDEN S. STEVENS, OF ATTIGA, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 78,549, dated June 2, 1 868.

IMPROVEMENT IN FBUIT-PIGKER.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ALDEN S. STEVENS, of Attica, in the county of Wyoming, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Fruit-Picker; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to, the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure I is an elevation. Figure II is a sectional elevation: Figure III is a cross-section.

The nature of my invention consists in combining a hollow cylinder, open at both ends, and provided with cutting-teeth at its upper end, with a conducting-bag attached to its lower end, and a manipulating-rod or pole connected to its side, so that the fruit, when out from its stem bythe cutting-teetlnmay pass through the open cylinder into the conducting-bag, and thence to the ground.

Letters'of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

A represents a hollow cylinder, open at both ends, and made of tin, zinc, or sheet iron. It is provided with serrations or teeth at its upper end, as shown at a which will catch the steurof the apple or other fruit to be gathered,and quickly and easily cut off and let the apple or other fruit drop through the cylinder into the bag or conductor, and thence into the basket.

When tin is used, a vertical bead may be forrned in each tooth, for the purpose of giving it strength, as shown at a. 7

One or more beads may be formed around the cylinder, for giving it strength and stiffness, as shown at a".

I have'eontemplatedforming the teeth on a thin, fiat steel ring, and placing the same on the top of a tin or sheet-iron cylinder, in orderto provide teeth of the most perfect kind.

Teeth formed as described, in either metal, will answer the purpose required, and they may be kept sharp by filing with a fine file.

' A tapering conical socket is attached to the outsideof the cylinder, for receiving and holding the handle, as shown at B.

The handle'C is made correspondingly tapering at its upper end, and fits into this socket, and is held therein securely. The handle is made in two or more pieces/,nnd the contiguous ends of these pieces are bevelled, so that, when puttogcther, their lapping ends form the same thickness as the full size of the handle. Those contiguous'ends are each provided with a fiat, square socket or'band, D, which is made fast to the thicker part of the taper or bevel, leaving one-half of it open, to receive the taper end'of the other piece. This forms a con-' venicnt and secure connection of the two parts of'the handle, and will allow of a quick and easy joining or disconnection of the two, Whenever it is desirable to lengthen or shorten the handle.

A heavy bend or rim is formed around the lowerend of the cylinder, as represented at E, for the purpose of holding the cloth bag or conductor F, which maybe drawn over it, and fastened with a cord or string.

Loops G are formed and connected with the bag, and, passing round the handle, will keep the bag in line with the handle, and allow of an easy descent of the picked fruit through it intothc basket. The hand of the operator will check and guide the descent of the fruit.

In construction, this fruit-picker is very cheap. In operation, it picks the fruit from any part of the tree without difliculty, and easily, and it is generally elfective whether the fruit (apples, for instanco)-be large or small. a 4

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the hollow cylinder A, open at both ends, and provided with cutting-teeth a -at its upper edge, with the conducting-bag F, attached to its lower edge, and manipulating-rod or pole 0, connected 'to its side, as and for the purpose set forth.

ALDEN S. STEVENS.

Witnesses E. B. Fonsusn, Enwann WILHELM. 

